The Mandalorian sector, following the Great Purge, could not boast a high volume of arriving or departing vessels. The devastated planet had little left to trade. Its weapon factories had been destroyed, as had its mining operations. Furthermore, Mandalorians engaged in agriculture only to the extent necessary to satisfy their own needs. This was compounded by the fact that the planet's surface had been reduced to a scorched desert.
The situation slightly improved years later, particularly when MandalMotors entered the galactic market. Trade was slowly recovering, but a large flow of starships was still not observed in the sector.
For this reason, it was easy for the traffic controllers at the capital Mandalorian spaceport to track the descent of a shuttle arriving from Coruscant with a representative of the Jedi Order aboard.
The passenger shuttle descended quickly, yet somewhat strangely. Or so it seemed to one of the controllers. The vessel was being tossed from side to side, as if an amateur pilot were at the controls... or perhaps the braking thrusters were failing to cope with the load. However, the pilot had declared the cargo capacity of his unusually designed shuttle to be around fifty metric tons. What could have been crammed into the ship's cargo bay to cause such an overload?
In any case, that problem belonged to Customs, not the traffic controller. The latter, with a clear conscience, transmitted the final course corrections to the arriving ship and switched his attention to monitoring a departing freighter.
Meanwhile, at the palace of Duchess Kryze, a group was preparing for a formal meeting with the unexpected guests from Coruscant.
Nearly three hours had passed since the holocall, giving Revan the necessary time to gather his allies in the palace. Unfortunately, even the most meticulous traffic controllers couldn't justify keeping the shuttle in orbit any longer without arousing suspicion. A premonition, however, told the former Jedi that the meeting would not go smoothly. Still, the forces he had managed to assemble in the palace should be more than enough to repel a possible attack. After all, a shuttle couldn't transport many fighters. The vessel's only true threat would be if its crew consisted entirely of trained Force-sensitives armed with specialized weaponry. But that outcome was highly unlikely.
According to the Jedi, there were only a handful of Sith in the galaxy. Revan, however, didn't trust those assurances. Before the crisis on Naboo, the Order had maintained that the Sith didn't exist at all, yet the former Jedi had already encountered at least three.
It was slightly reassuring that no large number of Force-sensitives was felt in the Force. Even if they concealed themselves, a mass of Force-users gathered in one location would inevitably create a kind of resonance, making their presence detectable. At the moment, apart from Ronhar Kim and, presumably, his Padawan, no one else could be sensed aboard the shuttle.
"Avner, your... friends have arrived," Qui-Gon Jinn hesitated slightly with the term, drawing Revan's attention to the group entering the throne room.
Leading the procession was Tira Nomad in full Mandalorian armor, with numerous metallic grenade casings glinting on her belt. In short, the mercenary looked exactly as she always did.
Next was Maul in his perpetual black, hooded cloak. The Zabrak masked himself well; one had to concentrate to sense the Force-sensitive in him.
"You!" Obi-Wan shouted, gripping his lightsaber hilt.
... Right, Maul could also be recognized by anyone who had previously faced him. After all, the sensations the Force conveys about your opponent are hard to forget.
"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon called out to his apprentice.
The Padawan, despite being clearly provoked by the presence of the Sith, didn't rush into battle. Jinn had, after all, managed to instill in his impulsive mind at least some notion of restraint and caution.
"This is the one who almost killed you, Master!" Kenobi hissed, his teeth clenched.
"I know," Qui-Gon replied calmly.
The Padawan turned his head to his Master in surprise.
"And that doesn't concern you at all?"
"Feelings must not override reason. Control yourself, Obi-Wan. Do not give in to anger, or the Darkness will consume you in the blink of an eye," Jinn sought to calm his apprentice.
And he succeeded. The Padawan's lightsaber remained clipped to his belt, and Kenobi somewhat tempered his zeal.
Maul, meanwhile, watched the scene with the composure of a true Lord and an expression of superiority on his tattooed face. Revan involuntarily noted how much his apprentice had changed since their first meeting. The progress in such a short time was simply staggering. The Zabrak had become much calmer, which aided his mastery of the Dark Side and his lightsaber training. Without the influence of his first Master, who sought to suppress and dominate his apprentice for his own security, Maul had begun to reveal and develop himself as a highly talented fighter and operative.
Revan was pleased with the Zabrak's progress.
On Naboo, Qui-Gon had lost, in Revan's opinion, purely by the will of the Force. Put differently, circumstances had simply aligned so that the younger, more aggressive combatant managed to gain the upper hand over the older, though experienced, Jedi.
Now, however, the former Sith was confident that his apprentice would defeat any Knight of the Order. Only Masters could pose a problem for him, and not even all of them. But there are no limits to perfection, so Revan planned to continue their training, gradually raising Maul to the level of readiness for which the Sith and Jedi of the Old Republic era were renowned.
"Tira, Maul, I'm glad to see you," Revan greeted his comrades.
"My Lord," Maul bowed, giving a barely perceptible smirk at Kenobi's reaction to such an address for his Master.
"Avner," Nomad greeted the former Jedi with a nod.
"And... Force Almighty, what is that?!" Revan stared in astonishment at the final member of the group who had arrived at the palace.
And there was indeed much to see. HK had apparently interpreted his Master's order to dress appropriately in his own unique way, despite droids not generally wearing clothes. However, did a bandolier of thermal detonators and fragmentation grenades count as clothing? And what about a heavy rocket launcher strapped to the homicidal droid's back? Or an ACP-repeater?
"HK, for the sake of Light and Darkness, what are you wearing?" Revan finally asked the droid.
"Proudly: I have prepared for a warm welcome, Master."
"Right, what could be warmer than a thermal detonator?" Tira smirked, having already enjoyed mocking the excessively prudent mechanical assassin.
"That's a rhetorical question," Revan quickly added, noticing HK was already preparing to launch into a lecture on the utility of an extra ordnance complement.
The droid was not at all disappointed that he was prevented from enlightening a pair of foolish meatbags.
"So, what are we facing?" Revan decided to get down to business.
"As you suspected, My Lord, a small fleet is assembling a single short jump away, in an uninhabited system near the C-5447/VM hyperspace lane," the Zabrak replied with a bow.
"Where did the intelligence come from?" the former Jedi inquired.
"The Nomad Clan has decent intelligence," Tira shrugged, cutting Maul off.
"That is correct, My Lord. I received the information from an informer within the palace, who in turn received it from the Nomad Clan."
"Is there any word on the ship types?" Revan asked, not particularly hoping for a positive answer.
"Unfortunately, no. Only the quantity is known, and that only based on registered hyperjumps," the Zabrak shook his head.
"How many?"
"Twenty-one jumps, and presumably twenty-one ships."
"Hmm, enough for a tight blockade," Revan mused, mentally calculating the scale of the problem.
Mandalore lacked the means to counter space forces. Consequently, they had little to oppose a potential adversary in orbit, save for locally manufactured starfighters. While these fighters carried powerful weaponry and had decent shielding, they would not withstand concentrated starship fire.
On the other hand, Revan, as the former commander of the Republic Army, knew perfectly well that seizing a planet without a ground operation was impossible. And in a surface battle, the Mandalorians would have every chance of victory. Not only was the majority of the population skilled with a blaster, but the Duchess's side would also have two Jedi, a Sith, and Revan himself... not to mention a heavily armed, insane assassin droid.
"And what are we going to do about a fleet that size?" Jinn was visibly troubled by the number of ships.
"First, we need to understand what kind of ships are coming for us. After that, we can devise a way to neutralize them," Revan replied.
"You speak as if that will be easy." Kenobi shared his Master's concern.
"I didn't say it would be simple. However, ships in orbit can be removed by more than just superior space forces," Revan countered, shaking his head.
"And how?" the Padawan persisted.
"The Force," the former Jedi answered simply.
"The Force? Are you suggesting you're going to use the Force to knock the entire fleet out of orbit?"
"Nothing is impossible for the Force," Revan smirked. "But what you suggest would have to be an absolute last resort. There are less taxing methods."
Theoretically, what the Padawan mentioned was possible. Size is irrelevant to the Force. But such a feat would require extreme concentration, not to mention that the Force-sensitive would have to be truly POWERFUL! Even Revan himself doubted whether he could pull it off.
"What methods?" The Duchess took the place of the curious Kenobi.
"Sabotage, diversion, capture," Tira answered in a matter-of-fact tone instead of Revan.
"But..."
Satine was not allowed to finish. There was no more time for debate.
"Duchess, trust me, we'll have time to consider that later. Right now, a representative of the Order is inbound, if he's not lying," Revan interrupted Kryze.
"Yes, you are right," the ruler of Mandalore agreed.
Satisfied with her answer, Revan turned to the mercenary.
"Tira, what word from the clans? Are they ready for an attack?"
"The clans will not move against the Watch. The hostages are still in Vizsla's hands. So, there will be no open conflict," Nomad shook her head.
"Bo-Katan has already located several groups of hostages. A little more time, and we'll have the coordinates for the rest. But... time is precisely what we don't have," Revan finished grimly.
Tira nodded in agreement.
"Then we will act according to the situation," the former Jedi concluded.
"Enthusiastically: I enjoy improvisations," HK-47 stated.
"Normally your improvisations are... but no, now is the perfect time for them," Revan realized.
"With Readiness: The meatbags stand no chance."
In the next moment, the door to the throne room burst open, and the earlier aide hurried toward the Duchess.
"The shuttle is approaching," he reported to Satine.
"Thank you. We will shortly send a welcome party to the landing pad," Kryze replied.
Protocol dictated that the Duchess should receive guests in the throne room with her retinue. Her representative, or a group of representatives, was supposed to go to the pad. Since a Jedi was arriving on the planet, Jedi were sent to meet him: specifically, Qui-Gon Jinn and Revan. Obi-Wan remained with Satine to provide protection in case of unforeseen circumstances. Tira also decided to stay in the throne room so as not to crowd onto the not-so-large landing pad.
Besides the Jedi, Maul and HK also went to meet the guests. Both were instructed to take positions in cover, concealing their presence. Their assistance would only be required if Revan's worst suspicions proved true.
The 'welcoming' group reached the pad just in time. A dot had already appeared in the distance, growing larger with each passing moment, gradually taking the shape of a starship. Revan, however, could not determine the model. Even though the former Sith had familiarized himself with the main models of this era, he could not identify the craft.
"What kind of shuttle is that?" Jinn asked, clearly confused as well.
"It looks like a cross between a T-2a and a Neimoidian Quiver," Revan tried to guess the model.
"It's flying strangely," Jinn observed.
Indeed, the ship was being tossed from side to side. The behavior was atypical for a piloted transport... unless... "It's operating overloaded! The thrusters can't handle the braking," Revan realized.
"Overloaded? Did they load a tank into the hold? Judging by its size, that shuttle shouldn't have a low cargo capacity," Qui-Gon said in astonishment.
"I sincerely hope not. Let's do without tanks," Revan muttered.
The transport's pilot somehow managed to stabilize its flight, and the craft approached the pad confidently, then settled quite smoothly onto the durasteel surface.
Revan concentrated on sensing the ship's crew. He needed to be sure there wasn't an entire squad of Sith aboard... even though that was unlikely. There were definitely Force-sensitives on the vessel, more than one, but he couldn't determine the exact number.
"There are several Force-sensitives aboard," Revan informed his group.
"How many?" Qui-Gon immediately asked for clarification.
"I don't know. More than one, but fewer than ten."
"Perhaps his Padawan flew with Ronar?" Jinn suggested.
"It's possible. But it's best to be ready."
"Understood," the Jedi nodded.
Maul and HK also confirmed their readiness over the active comm channel. If the guests attacked, a surprise would be waiting for them.
Meanwhile, the shuttle completed its landing procedures and began opening its cargo ramp. The fact that the guests were preparing to exit through the cargo bay rather than a passenger hatch was already a cause for alarm.
Without taking his eyes off the descending ramp, Revan prepared for combat. The Force flowed through his body as usual, and his hands rested on the hilts of his lightsabers. Jinn was also tense but chose to maintain a less threatening posture, still hoping for peaceful negotiations.
And... his hopes, it seemed, were justified.
Two figures in traditional Order robes appeared in the opening. Revan recognized Kim's face, having seen his hologram during the conversation with the Duchess. Next to him, clearly, was his Padawan. The apprentice was a head taller than his Master, which was unsurprising for a Cerean. Both guests expressed warmth and friendliness without any hint of threat.
"Master Ronhar Kim," Qui-Gon was the first to greet his acquaintance.
"Master Qui-Gon Jinn," the guest replied with a bow.
His 'apprentice' repeated the gesture.
"I'm glad to see you in good health," Jinn continued. "Is this your Padawan?"
"Yes, meet Tap-Nar-Pal."
"Greetings, Master Jinn," the Padawan bowed again.
"I'm pleased to meet you, Tap-Nar-Pal," Qui-Gon responded to the greeting.
Revan, meanwhile, maintained a welcoming smile but watched the Jedi and his Padawan with intense focus. Something was wrong. Though they actively feigned joy at meeting their Order brothers, the Force warned him of imminent danger. And if Kim or his apprentice turned out to be the source of that danger... he decided he would definitely not turn his back on them.
"And who is this with you? I thought Obi-Wan was your Padawan, wasn't he?" Ronhar looked at Revan with surprise, as if only just noticing him.
"This is not my Padawan. Allow me to introduce Knight Avner Van, also a member of the Order. You likely haven't met him, as Avner has spent a long time outside the Temple walls, traveling and unraveling the mysteries of the galaxy," Jinn took the lead in the explanation, for which Revan was grateful.
"Oh? Is that so?" Kim scrutinized Revan more closely.
"A pleasure to meet you, Master Kim," the former Jedi bowed, never stopping his observation of the guests.
Despite the Master's efforts to keep the conversation light, his Padawan was constantly looking around, as if searching for something... or perhaps someone? Could he sense Maul? Or was he simply picking up the anxiety that the Force was undoubtedly radiating?
"Likewise, Knight Van. Tell me, have you managed to fully grasp the mysteries of the galaxy?" Ronhar asked with a slight smile.
"I've only become more confused," Revan joked.
"Is that so? Then you have become wiser than most Padawans and even Knights," Kim laughed in response.
"Why is that?"
"Young Jedi are entirely convinced of their own righteousness and the inviolability of the knowledge imparted at the Temple. They are unwilling to learn anything new, or accept anything unknown. Maximalism in its purest form," Ronhar Kim explained, shaking his head.
"I'm sure they simply lack experience. They should venture outside the Temple more often," Revan said amicably.
"That is true, young Knight. You should take an apprentice of your own. Wisdom should be shared with more than just the old," Kim laughed again.
Revan reflected that he already had an apprentice... and more than one. He said nothing aloud, merely joining the Master's laughter.
"But where is Duchess Kryze?" Kim looked around. "I thought she would greet us."
Revan felt a light touch in the Force. Someone had tried to read him. It was unlikely to be Master Kim; it was too clumsy for an experienced Jedi. Yet, surprise... and displeasure... had also flashed in his eyes. Perhaps it was the Padawan?
"The Duchess is waiting in the throne room. Diplomatic protocol requires her to receive the representatives of the Council according to all the rules," Jinn explained.
"Oh, there was no need to go to such trouble," Kim dismissed it.
Falsehood. Revan sensed it very keenly. And Ronhar Kim was actively concealing his true emotions.
"Nevertheless, Master, why have you come to Mandalore?" Revan suddenly asked.
"Hmm? To assist Qui-Gon and yourself, Knight Van, of course. The Council decided you would need help."
"Is that so? The Council already knows I'm on Mandalore? They decided that two Jedi wouldn't be enough?" the former Sith seized on the slip of the tongue.
The Council did not know that Revan was on Mandalore. Not definitively, at least. Of course, Qui-Gon or, more likely, Kenobi could have reported his presence. However, the second question posed was the key. It allowed him to trap his interlocutor in a lie.
"Of course, two is sufficient. But help never hurts," Kim replied with a smile.
The Council had not sent him. He did not know that, besides Qui-Gon, his Padawan was also on Mandalore. Jinn understood this too. Revan sensed Obi-Wan's Master brace himself for a fight.
Unfortunately, Kim sensed it as well.
In a flash, a blue blade ignited and shot toward Qui-Gon's chest. However, a silver blade intercepted its path, deflecting the strike to the side.
Tap-Nar-Pal attacked immediately after his Master. The Cerean intended to help his Master, but Qui-Gon blocked his way.
The first exchange of blows was brief and ended with the parties stepping back a few paces, preparing for the next round.
"Query: Master, should I terminate the bothersome meatbags?" HK's voice sounded in the tiny earpiece.
"Too soon," Revan dismissed, shifting his silver lightsaber to a reverse grip.
"Why, Ronhar?" Jinn suddenly asked, though never taking his eyes off his opponent.
"Why what?" Kim countered, also looking only at Revan.
"Why did you betray the Order?"
"Me?" Ronhar roared with fury. "You, son of a Hutt, are the one who trampled all our principles! You and all the others! The entire Order is rotten to the core! Darkness is enveloping the Temple! Sith rule the Senate!"
"What?!"
"Don't tell me you didn't know! You're the one who let a Sith escape on Naboo! And you're still consorting with them!"
With the last word, Kim lunged at Revan, delivering a powerful overhead strike. The former Sith cleverly evaded the attack while simultaneously thrusting. Kim miraculously dodged, the silver blade leaving a scorched streak on his brown robe.
Jinn and the Cerean also exchanged blows. Qui-Gon was more fortunate and managed to graze his opponent. However, the wound didn't cause the Padawan any particular discomfort, which he quickly proved with a new attack that forced Jinn into a defensive posture. He didn't want to fight his Order brothers, as they had clearly been misled...
"Oh, I've heard all about your friend!" Ronhar Kim continued. "This Avner Van! He's the one who spared a Sith! And now both of you are here, on Mandalore, the homeworld of our ancient enemies! How many times have they threatened the Republic? How many worlds have they destroyed? And you're helping them now?"
"What are you talking about? We are trying to prevent a civil war!" Jinn tried to argue.
Revan remained silent. Despite the fight that had begun, he sensed a threat far greater than his current opponent. Kim, with all his desire, was no match for an ancient Master.
"You want to revive the Mandalore we worked so hard to crush! I know everything! The truth has been revealed to me!" Kim railed.
The Darkness was gathering around them. Revan felt it, as Jinn undoubtedly did as well.
"Listen to me!" Qui-Gon tried to appeal to reason.
"No! Enough of the lies and excuses! Too many have already given their lives because of the rot that has settled in the Order! Look at what we've become! Peacekeepers turned into tools of the Senate! We have grown weak while the Sith have only gained power! They are in the Senate now, don't deny it! The Order serves them!" By the end of his furious tirade, Kim's eyes had darkened, and Revan could have sworn he saw a fiery orange glint in them.
He had to stop the Jedi, who was sinking deeper into the Darkness. And Revan did the only thing he could. He executed a lightning-fast attack on his opponent, using a feint to force him to extend his lightsaber forward, then deactivated his own blade and struck the Jedi's wrist with the hilt. Ronhar Kim's lightsaber flew from his grasp and skittered across the landing pad. Revan then delivered two more strikes to Kim's torso and hurled him back several meters.
The Padawan wanted to rush to his Master's aid, but Jinn didn't allow him to take a single step.
"Enough!" the former Sith roared. "It's time to put an end to this madness."
"This isn't madness, it's reality," Ronhar hissed, coughing.
"The Order still serves the Light. And by fighting among ourselves, we only..." Revan was cut off before he could finish.
"Shut up, you Hutt traitor! I know everything! The Republic is dying! The Order has already fallen, even if you don't realize it yet! But I... but we will save the Republic and its people!"
"We?" Revan questioned.
At that very moment, he sensed a threat from the shuttle. Only excellent reflexes allowed him to avoid several blaster bolts fired from the darkness of the cargo bay.
And following the first shots, a veritable flood of droids poured out. They were the cursed Neimoidian B1 battle droids, and there were a lot of them!
Revan realized his mistake too late. He had been looking for living beings on the ship, forgetting about the droids. Yes, B1s were weak, but they were very light and compact. Given the shuttle's cargo capacity, a hundred of those machines could easily be stowed in the bay. And a hundred barrels of fire were a problem, even for someone with Force-fueled foresight.
"HK! Now's the time!" Revan commanded.
And at that moment, the sound of a heavy ACP-repeater firing erupted from the direction of the palace entrance, sending a veritable rain of plasma toward the ship. Pinpoint accuracy was out of the question at that distance. But the fire helped thin the droids' ranks slightly and forced them to divert their attention from attacking Revan and Qui-Gon.
Maul also hastened to join the fray.
Kim wasted no time, snatching his lightsaber with the Force and re-engaging Revan, who was distracted by defending against the blaster fire.
Suddenly, several mercenaries in light armor appeared on the cargo ramp and fired upon the palace's defenders. While Revan managed to notice that the fighters were using an electromagnetic weapon, Qui-Gon reacted too late. Not only did his raised lightsaber fail to hold back the stream of particles from the DEMP 2, which inflicted a painful wound on Jinn's right side, but the blade's emitter was also overloaded, causing the green plasma to instantly vanish, leaving the Jedi unarmed.
"Qui-Gon!" Revan shouted, throwing his silver lightsaber toward his ally while simultaneously activating his black one.
Jinn caught the weapon and was able to block the Cerean's strike just in time.
Meanwhile, Revan, parrying Kim's strikes, used the Force to snatch up a section of the landing pad's railing and hurled it at the mercenaries, forcing them to scramble for cover. One, however, was unlucky; the panel literally swept him up and carried him somewhere inside the ship.
But the surprises weren't over.
"Kill the Duchess at any cost!" Kim screamed. In the next moment, at least a dozen Droidekas rolled out of the transport's belly. But contrary to the expectations of Revan, who was already bracing for a new threat, the destroyer droids rushed past, heading straight for the palace.
"Hutt! HK, Maul! Stop them!" Revan yelled, tied up in combat.
The Zabrak, who had already rushed to the pad and was preparing to surprise the Cerean, switched targets but only managed to destroy a single droid. HK, on the other hand, took too long to bring his heavy blaster to bear, causing all his shots to miss the target.
"I am not alone," Ronhar Kim croaked, drawing Revan's attention. The former Sith understood the meaning of those words instantly. A speeder shot over the heads of the combatants, from which two figures jumped. Both were human and wore light armor. However, it was their weapons that drew Revan's attention. The attackers wielded lightsabers. A green and a blue blade sliced through the air.
"We will save the Republic. Even if it means abandoning democracy," Kim sneered, his gaze now blazing with gold.
"Kriff," Revan hissed, realizing the situation had suddenly become severely complicated.
Maul was forced to switch to the new threat, engaging in combat with the presumed Jedi. The Zabrak skillfully wielded his double-bladed lightsaber, initially holding both opponents at bay, but one of them suddenly broke off the engagement, choosing to punch through to the primary target. The enemy sped toward the palace. And there was no one left to stop him. HK had abandoned his position to pursue the Droidekas to carry out his Master's command. This, unfortunately, also gave the surviving B1 battle droids an opportunity to refocus their fire on Revan and his comrades.
Help was not forthcoming from the palace, which meant they now had their hands full as well.
"Don't get distracted," Maul's opponent snarled, forcing him to focus on his duel.
The opponent was skilled, very skilled, in fact. This was clearly not a Padawan, nor even a rank-and-file Knight. The fight promised to be difficult... but exhilarating.
The young Sith allowed the Dark Side to grant him even more power, fueling it with his exhilaration at the approaching struggle. Exactly as his Master had taught him.
The crimson staff met the green blade. The combatants sharply increased their tempo, each striving to quickly dispatch his opponent. The unknown Jedi initially held his own against the Zabrak, but with every parry and strike, he seemed to slow. Maul became so engrossed in the fight that he failed to react to a sudden Force Push. The opponent seized the opportunity and nearly knocked the young Sith off the landing platform. However, the Zabrak managed to recover in time and deflect a new thrust. Spotting an opening, Maul decided to use a maneuver he had recently learned from his Master and deactivated his saber staff right before the impact. The Zabrak's performance of the Trakata technique was clumsy, but he still managed to surprise his opponent, which proved fatal. Maul's crimson blade pierced the rival's chest, leaving him no chance of survival.
The elation of victory nearly cost the Zabrak his life. With the death of the unknown opponent, there was no longer a barrier between Maul and the B-1 battle droids, a fact the mechanical gunners did not hesitate to exploit. The young Sith was forced to switch his focus to annihilating the enemy's metallic soldiers.
Meanwhile, Revan continued his duel with Kim. Ronhar, the one who had fallen to the dark, had become significantly stronger, yet also more reckless. The ancient Jedi was still able to successfully parry his attacks and even divert his attention to the mercenaries and droids, gradually reducing their numbers, but it was not easy.
The mercenaries' blaster bolts repeatedly sought to end Revan's life. The droids were no less relentless than their organic counterparts. The former Sith Lord barely managed to react to the attacks. Only this could explain the fact that Kim was still alive.
Allowing his anger to momentarily surface, Revan generated a stream of Force lightning and channeled it through his lightsaber blade. A wide sweep caused the discharge to arc out to the nearest droids, destroying six of them instantly. The remaining charge struck Ronhar, who took the impact on his lightsaber blade. Revan followed the shock with a Force Push that forced Kim down onto one knee, leaving him vulnerable to a kick from the former Sith's armored boot.
The disoriented Kim could not react to the follow-up attack, and his right arm, along with the lightsaber it gripped, was severed from his body just below the shoulder. Pain flooded Ronhar's consciousness, but by some miracle, he still remained on his feet. Not for long, though. The black blade of Revan's lightsaber pierced the fallen Jedi's chest only moments later. The lifeless body of the former Master collapsed onto the platform, no longer posing a threat.
Almost simultaneously with Revan defeating his adversary, Jinn finished off Ronar's apprentice. The Cerean sustained multiple puncture wounds and was disarmed, but he was still alive. Qui-Gon stood over the defeated Padawan, who was clutching his wounds, and hesitated to deliver the final strike. This was still a child, an apprentice who had succumbed to the corrupting influence of his Master. He bore no blame for ending up on the opposite side of the barricades. He was a Jedi... just like Qui-Gon himself.
Lost in deep thought, Jinn missed a droid's attack. A blaster bolt would have inevitably wounded the Jedi had Revan not covered him.
"Jinn, this is no time for doubt!" the former Jedi snapped, moving to finish off the remaining droids.
Qui-Gon nodded grimly and, with a wide, sweeping strike, slashed the Padawan across the chest, accompanying the blow with a Force Push that sent the unconscious Cerean's body flying toward the ship's cargo ramp.
Revan saw that the wound was not fatal, but the Padawan certainly wouldn't be able to fight anytime soon. Well, that was a solution, too.
Combining their efforts, the two Jedi and the Sith quickly dealt with the remaining mercenaries and droids. The "tin cans" were no match for their combined power.
"We need to return to the palace," Revan stated, voicing their shared thought.
No one disagreed.
In the corridors of the Duchess's residence, the signs of battle were everywhere. Guards who had stood in the way of the Droidekas and the unknown Jedi lay dead along the walls. The attackers had shown the defenders no quarter.
But credit was due to the palace security. They had managed to defeat three Droidekas. Two more were destroyed by a thermal detonator blast, unquestionably the work of HK-47.
The trio of Force-sensitives burst into the throne room just as Obi-Wan decapitated the unknown Jedi. The Padawan himself had not emerged unscathed. It was clear the fight had been difficult for him. There were numerous scorch marks on his clothing, a wound on his back, and his left arm hung limply, a charred puncture wound visible on his shoulder.
Suddenly, a metallic clanging sound to the right drew Revan's attention.
Slightly off to the side of the entrance, HK was diligently... bludgeoning the last Droideka with its own detached manipulator and blaster cannon.
"Observation: You will learn not to fire upon the designated protection object, you obtuse box of bolts," the assassin droid stated monotonously, driving the manipulator straight into the Droideka's central processor.
"Hmm," Maul grunted, a sound that was either approval or simply impressed.
Meanwhile, Kenobi, realizing the fight was over, suddenly dropped his lightsaber and began to fall backward.
"Obi-Wan." Jinn rushed to catch his apprentice.
"I managed, Master," Kenobi whispered before losing consciousness.
"Yes, you did well, young Padawan. I am proud of you," Jinn replied, ensuring his apprentice was alive and had merely passed out from the strain.
"Duchess Satine!" Revan called out, wanting to confirm that the key figure in his plan had survived.
The object of his search was discovered near the throne, holding a blaster and sporting a puncture wound on her thigh. Evidently, the Duchess had decided to abandon the path of the pacifist and taken up arms to save her own life... or perhaps to help her beloved.
The wound was not life-threatening. The lightsaber had cauterized the blood vessels instantly, halting the bleeding. Neither the artery nor the bone was affected, so a little bacta would quickly get Satine back on her feet.
"Are there any more hostiles?" Maul inquired, surveying the throne room.
Nearly all of the Duchess's retinue had been killed. Their bodies lay near the throne, bearing lightsaber marks. The strange thing was that almost every one of them was armed.
"At least here," Jinn responded, having laid Kenobi on the floor and joined the inspection of the hall.
"Duchess, can you hear me?" Revan gently revived Kryze.
Satine winced from a headache, then tried to move and cried out in pain from her leg.
"I... I'm fine," the woman hissed, wincing in pain.
"Which cannot be said for your retinue," Maul observed.
Satine looked at the bodies of the slain, and her face contorted in a grimace of disgust.
"They are not my retinue," she almost snarled.
"What? But they are in the proper attire..." Jinn started to object, but the Duchess interrupted him.
"They are not my retinue! I don't know how, but instead of those who swore loyalty to me, traitors came into the throne room."
Qui-Gon approached one of the bodies and turned it over. The face was definitely not Human but resembled a reptile. The repulsive features looked more like a melted wax candle than the face of a native Mand'alorian.
"Clawdites," Jinn gasped in astonishment.
"Shapeshifters?" Revan recognized the species' name.
Representatives of this reptilian race were known for their ability to alter their appearance. And those particularly gifted in camouflage could even take on the likeness of another sentient being. The services of such mercenaries were expensive... Not to mention that Clawdites were a rarity outside of their homeworld. The reptilians preferred to stay on Zolan, fearing swift reprisal if the Republic deemed them too dangerous. After all, a spy or assassin capable of changing their appearance... that was a significant threat.
"Someone desperately wants you dead. Besides Death Watch," Jinn concluded.
"We've discussed this. Death Watch is being aided by a Sith. This is his handiwork. And he is entrenched somewhere in the Senate," Revan added.
"Until today, it was difficult for me to believe your stories about Sith and traitors in the Senate... but now," Kryze said, accepting Revan's hand and rising to her feet.
"However, you were lucky Obi-Wan was nearby. Otherwise, these infiltrators would have struck you from behind." Jinn looked proudly at the unconscious Padawan.
"He didn't do it," Satine objected.
"He didn't? Then who did?" Revan shifted his gaze to the bodies of the doubles.
They were definitely killed by a lightsaber.
"Risa Farr did it."
"Who?" Revan asked again.
"Risa Farr, my aide. She was the only one among the entire retinue who was not replaced."
"She had a lightsaber?" Qui-Gon wondered.
"Yes, a red blade. It greatly surprised Obi-Wan, which is why Kenobi missed the blow from that Jedi."
"An apostate," Jinn corrected the Duchess.
"Did you know this Risa was Force-sensitive? That she could use the Force?" Revan asked.
"No. She has always been a normal Mandalorian girl. Until today."
The former Jedi nodded to himself. It was no surprise she wasn't replaced by a double. A Force-sensitive person cannot be simply captured, especially when they conceal their use of the Force from everyone. Was she the one Revan had sensed then? Well, many things are falling into place. But whose side is this Farr on?
"Where is she?" the former Sith asked the Duchess.
"I don't know. I was wounded by that Je... apostate. I lost consciousness," Kryze replied apologetically.
"Well, that question will have to be postponed for now."
"It looks like it's over," the Duchess observed, looking around.
"Oh, no. I'm afraid it's only beginning," Revan drawled, looking out the window at the throne room ceiling.
Several Trade Federation landing ships appeared in the sky. The Naboo scenario was repeating itself. The planet was under siege.
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